Homogenizer



Aug@ 5, 1941- G. o. MoYER ErAL 2,251,371

HoMoGENIzER Filed .July 2. -1940 VF l 'M/l Patented Aug. 5, 1941 UNITED HOMOGENIZER vGeorge O'. Moyer and Emanuel Krettingen, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application July 2, 1940, Serial No. 343,602`

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in homogenizers for use with internal combustion engines.

An object of the invention is to provide a homcgenizer that may be attached to or incorporated in the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine or a portion of the carburetor leading thereto and which has a plurality of passages so arranged as to create a vortex in the flow into or through the intake manifold so as to create a more even distribution or mixture of fuel and air in the manifold prior to its being taken into the cylinders of the engine.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a simple form of homogenizer having no moving parts and which will effectively create the desired vortex or whirling to bring about a greater homogeneity between air and fuel and which has the advantage of offering such little resistance to the flow of fuel and air that the top speed of the engine is not reduced by its use.

It has heretofore been proposed to use rotating fans and the like at the entrance to the intake manifold to bring about the desired homogeneity. Such constructions, while advantageous at ordinary speeds, almost invariably have the disadvantage that they cause the maximum speed of the engine to drop when the throttle is in wide open position. The present construction has the advantage of 'having no moving parts to wear or get out of order and the resistance present is so slight that no drop in the maximiun speed of the engine is ordinarily noticeable.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawing for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure 1 is a partial View in side elevation illustrating a portion of an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine and a down-draft carburetor leading thereto, the homogenizer being illustrated as having been installed;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the homogenizer embodying the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially upon the line 3-3 upon Figs. 2 and 4; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 4-4 upon Figs. 2 and 3.

Referring to the accompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, I indicates the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine to which fuel illustrated is a portion of a lconventional type of down-draft carburetor used for mixing gasoline and air but it will be readily understood that the present invention may be used in conjunctionv with up-draft carburetors if so desired and in conjunction with mixing devices such as are employed for mixing natural gas with air or other forms of fuel.

In the construction illustrated the carburetor C and the manifold I have companion' flanges I0 and I I and the homogenizer generally 'designated at I2 is shaped to t between these companion flanges. Usually gaskets I3 are interposed between the flanges and the homogenizer to prevent leakage.

The homogenizer consists of a flat plate of suitable thickness preferably equipped with bolt holes I4 and I5 to receive the bolts that connect the companion flanges I0 and Il. Formed in this plate there is a relatively large central aperture I6 conically shaped so that its walls Il diverge rearwardly or in the direction of flow from the carburetor C to the manifold I. Around this large aperture I6 there are arranged two series or sets of perforations, the perforations of the inner set being indicated at I8 and those of the outer set at I9. If desired additional series or sets of perforations may be formed in the plate in addition to the two series or sets shown. Ihe perforations of both sets are radially and tangentially inclined, or in other words, the axes of the perforations converge-toward the central axis through the large aperture I6 while at the same time they are tangentially or circumferentially directed so that flow through the perforations will be directed toward the center of the manifold and in a circumferential direction thus creating a vortex. The degree of inclination of the perforations will vary under differing circumstances. However, a typical inclination is such that the perforations of both sets are inclined radially at about 10 to the vertical. They are also inclined tangentially at approximately 15 to the vertical.

The rear ends of the perforations I8 terminate on the rearwardly divergent walls l1 of aperture I6 while the rear ends of the perforations I9 terminate adjacent the rear of aperture IG on a slightly beveled area indicated at 20. The entrances to the perforations I8 and I9 are arranged to receive minor portions of the flow of fuel from the passage leading from the carburetor or like mixing device to the manifold I and to direct such portions inwardly of the walls of the passage and inwardly of the walls of the manifold passage in the formation of the vortex as above described. The plate being sealed by the gaskets I3 effectively prevents the admission of any outside air above or below the plate or in other words, at the entrance to the manifold.

During operation of the engine the major portion of the fuel and air mixed by the 'carburetor C is drawn through the rearwardly expanding or enlarging aperture I6. The forward edge of this aperture acts somewhat as a slightly restricted throat and as the flow progresses through the aperture it progresses through a constantly enlarging or expanding conduit formed by the rearwardly diverging walls I1. A type of Venturi action is thus created in aperture I6 which assists in the drawing of fuel and air through the perforations I8. The fuel and air that is vdrawn through the perforations i8 and I 9 is directed thereby so as to create a vortex or whirling, in the manifold, thus promoting greater homogeneity Vbetween the fuel' and air 'and' an even distribution. f Y i We find that it is quite importanti to have a decided'divergence of the wallsA H forif these walls are shaped' so as'to be paralleler substantially so, the adufantagesA of the present'hom'ogenizer Vare' largely lost. The rnainv function `ofthe outer set of" perforations i9' is to assist inv conducting the necessary volume of ow. They assist the perforations I8 in producing the vortex. However, the vortex is largely created by the inner set of perforations which terminate on the rearwardly divergirng walls I1.' v y WeV find that in the' use of this form of homo*- genizer that not only is a thorough rnixturefof fuel and air accomplished, but that in addition there is no noticeable decrease in the maximum speed of' the engine when the homogenizer is used.

It will be appreciated from the above description that the construction is' very simple in" operation, that it is simple to 'manufacture and install,V and that as it has no moving parts there is vnothing to Wear or get out of order. f

Various' changes may be made in the details of construction without departingfrorn the spirit or scope of the invention as' definedv by." the appended claims. y

We claim:v y

1. A homogenizer adapted `to be placed in the line of flow to the intake manifold of an internal combustionV engine from a carburetor lor like mix-A ing device comprising a plate-like body having V a relatively large central Aaperture formed therein through which the major portion of the flow to the manifold takes place and tangentiallyy inclinedpassages formed in said body around' said central aperture terminating on the sidewalls of` said apertureV and arranged to receive portions of flow from the carburetor or like mixing device and direct them with relation to the major portion of flow passing through said aperture in such a manner as to create a vortex therein.

2. A homogenizer adapted to be placed in the line of flow to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine from a carburetor or like mixing device comprising a plate-like body having a relatively large central aperture formed therein through which the major portion of the flow to the manifold takes place and tangentially inclined passages formed in said body around said central aperture terminating on the side walls of flow from the carburetor or like mixing device and direct them with relation to the major portion of ow passing through said aperture in such a manner as to create a vortex therein, the aperturev having its side walls diverging in the clirection of iiow.

` 3.A homogenizer adapted to be placed in the line of vflow to an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine from a carburetor or like mixing device comprising a plate-like body having a large central aperture formed therein through which the major portion of thel flow to the manifold takes place, said plate Ybeing perforated around said central aperture, some of the perforations having entrances on one side of the plate and terminating on the side walls of the aperture, otherl perforations extending through the plate from side toside around said aperture, said perforations being inwardly and tangentially A inclinedI and arranged to receive portions of the flow from the carburetor or like mixing device and direct them -inwardly and tangentially with relation to the major portion of flow so as to create a vortex therein- 4. A hornogenizer adapted to be placed in the lin-e of flow to an intake manifold of an linternal combustion engine from a carburetor or like mixture device comprising a plate-like body having a large central aperture formed therein through which the major portion of the ow to the manifold takes place, said plate being perforated around said central aperture, some of the perforations having entrances on one side of the plate and terminating on the side walls of the aperture, other perforations extending through the plate from side to side around said aperture, said perforations being inwardly and tangentially inclined and arranged to receive portions of the flow from the carburetor or like mixing device and direct them inwardly and tangentially with relation to the major portion of flow so as to create avortex therein, the walls of the central aperture being divergent in the direction of ow f 'GEORGE ol MOYER.

EMANUEL KRETTnvGEN. 

